Drum opener



Nov. 19, 1963 w. F. KRlST ETAL 3,110,962

DRUM OPENER Filed March 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l v n! In lul 5 9:3 2; 47 x5 I /7 l8 I 3&7 M 38 39 F A3 /&

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t 5 I 4 a 5 5 I I I 5/ I I I 2 33 A 53 INVENTORS WILLIAM F. KRIST ALBERT F. GERLOVICH ATTORNEYS NOV. 19, 1963 w s-r ETAL 3,110,962

' DRUM OPENER Filed March 19. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS 5a WILLIAM F. KRIST ALBERT F. GERLOVICH AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,110,962 DRUM OIENER William F. Krist, 3233 N. Booth St., Milwaukee, Wis, and Albert F. Gerlovich, 1701 W. Edgar Road, Linden, N.I., assignors of one-half to Rheem Manufacturing Company, New York, N31, a corporation of Caiifornia Filed Mar. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 189,426 Claims. (Cl. 3tl4) This invention appertains to steel barrel and drum openers or head severing means, and is an improvement over Patent No. 2,886,887 issued May 19, 1959.

In the above mentioned patent, the head or top of the drum or barrel was cut from the inner face of the rim thereof. This was found to be objectionable, in that, any cuttings from the rim would fall into the barrel or drum itself. Further, great wear took place on the pivot point, bearings and adjustable cutter shaft, in that, upward thrust on the cutter shaft was transmitted directly to to the pivot for the shaft. Likewise, the supporting and guide rollers of the cutting machine failed to follow the contour of the drum, particularly where the drum was bent and dented, and this tended to throw the machine out of line.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention to provide an improved cutting means for the head of the barrel or drum embodying a novel external rotary cutter wheel and an internal rotary feed wheel, whereby the head or top of the barrel or drum is neatly severed at the outer face of the rim and thus the falling of any cuttings into the barrel or drum is eliminated.

Another salient object of the invention is to provide a novel cutter wheel and a novel feed wheel for cooperation with one another, whereby the rim of the drum or barrel will be engaged at its upper and lower edges and thus insure the proper even travel of the cutter around the rim, without the riding of the cutter off of the rim.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for rotatably mounting the cutter shaft on the frame, so that a smooth running long lasting cutter shaft will be had, with means for directly driving the shaft from the motor whereby a powerful cutting action will be had.

Another further object of the invention is to provide novel guide ribs on the frame of the machine against which the upper face of the slide block carrying the feed wheel shaft bears, so that all upward thrust will be transmitted to the frame of the machine instead of the pivot of the feed wheel shaft.

A still further object of the invent-ion is to provide guide and supporting rollers for engaging the side of the drum or barrel during the travel of the machine around the drum or barrel with novel means for supporting the rollers including swinging arms extending from the machine and spring means for urging the arms toward one another with the rollers against the barrel or drum, whereby the rollers will effectively follow the contour of the drum irrespective of any dents or other irregularities in the drum.

Another still further object of the invention is to provide a novel steel drum opener of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy tomanufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

FIGURE 1 is aside elevational view of the improved drum opener, parts of the figure being shown broken away and in section, the view showing the opener applied to a steel drum and in operative position thereon;

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FIGURE 2 is an inner side elevational view of the opener with parts thereof in section, the section being taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view illustrating the mounting of the slide block for the feed shaft;

FIGURE 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the cutter and feed Wheels; and

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the mounting of the guiding and supporting rollers on the machine for engaging the side of a drum.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter M generally indicates the improved drum opening machine and D a metal barrel or drum which is to be opened.

The metal barrel or drum D is of a type commonly used for shipping liquids or other material and hence includes a cylindrical side wall iii and heads 11. As best shown in FIGURE 1 the edge of a head 11 and side wall are rolled and flanged over to provide a rim 12, which effectively unites a head with the side wall. By again referring to FIGURE 1 it can be seen that the periphery of the head 11 is flanged or rolled over the outer side of the drum. The drum opener comprises a frame 13 which can be in the nature of a casting. This frame includes inner and outer end walls 14 and 15 and connecting side walls 16. The inner face of the inner end wall 14 is provided with bearing bosses 17 for receiving a selected type of roller bearings 18 for a cutter feed shaft 19. The cutter feed shaft 19' is mounted in a vertical plane and the lower end thereof has keyed thereto a cutter wheel 20. The cutter wheel 20 includes a hub 21 having formed integral therewith and from hardened metal, an annular cutter ring 22 and an annular guide and holding rib 23. it is to be noted that the guide and holding rib 23 is of a greater diameter than the cutter 2-2 and is spaced below the cutter, for a purpose which will later appear.

The cutter wheel Ztl is removably held on the cutter shaft 19 by a lock nut 24. The upper and lower roller bearings are removably held in the bearing bosses 17 by cover plates 25 removably fixed to the bearing bosses.

It is to be noted that the lower of the roller bearings has its outer race held in adjusted position by a sleeve nut 26 which is threaded into the lower bearing boss. The upper end of the cutter shaft 19* has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a worm Wheel 27, for a purpose which will be later set forth.

The frame 13 is rigidly secured to an electric drive motor 23. This motor is arranged in a vertical plane and bolts or other fastening elements 29 extend through the inner end wall 14 of the frame and into the casing for the motor. The motor extends a considerable distance below the frame 13, as is clearly shown in FIGURES l and 2. The drive motor can be of any desired horsepower and is in driving connection with the cutter shaft 19 through the medium of a gear reduction unit 30 carried by the upper end of the motor. The armature shaft of the motor is connected with the input of the speed reducing unit and extending outwardly from the unit is the output shaft 31. Keyed or otherwise secured to the output shaft 31 is a Worm 32 which meshes with the worm wheel 23 of the cutter shaft. Thus, in effect, the cutter shaft is driven directly from the motor and the cutter shaft and motor lie in parallelism.

At this point, it might be noted that a combination end -ers 50 are provided.

cap and base 33 is carried by the lower end of the motor and that this end cap and base has formed in its side wall a guide slot 34.

Also mounted within the frame 13 is a feed wheel shaft 35. The shaft is rotatably mounted in an upper pivot block 36 and in a lower slide block 37. Pivot pins 38 extend through the side walls 16 of the frame and into the upper pivot bearing block 36. Thus, the shaft 35 is mounted for swinging movement toward and away from the cutter shaft 19. The shaft 35 adjacent to its upper end has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a spur gear 39 and this gear meshes with a spur gear 4% keyed or otherwise secured to the cutter shaft 19. Hence, the feed wheel shaft 35 is driven from the cutter shaft. The lower end of the feed shaft 35, has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a knurled feed wheel 41 and formed on or secured to the feed wheel is a guide and holding disc 42. It is to be noted that the guide and holding disc 42 is of a greater diameter than the feed wheel 41, for a purpose, which will later appear.

The bearing slide block 37 slides back and forth in the frame and is confined between the side walls 16.

This slide block slidably engages guide and supporting ribs 43 which are formed on or secured to the side walls 16. As illustrated, the guide and supporting ribs 43 are removably mounted so that the same can be replaced When wear takes place thereon. Thus, the slide block 37 bears against the guide ribs and any thrust on the block is transmitted to the frame and not to the pivots 38.

The upper end of the frame has rigidly secured thereto a heavy duty swivel socket 44 and its mounting 45, and this socket and mounting can carry a handle 46. This socket 44 forms means for the entrance of current to the motor and conductor wires 47 extend from the socket into the motor.

By referring to FIGURES 1 and 3, it can be seen that the bearing slide block 37 is normally urged away from the shaft 19 and hence the feed wheel 41 and its guide and supporting disc 42 are also normally moved away from the cutter 20.

In operation of the drum opening machine, the same is suspended on the drum D to be opened, with the cutter arranged on the outer face of the drum and adjacent to the rim 12. The sharpened cutter flange 22 engages the outer face of the rim and the guide and holding flange 23 engages the lower edge of the rim. The feed shaft 35 and feed wheel 41 is now moved into intimate binding contact with the inner surface of the rim 12 by means of a feed screw 48, which is threaded into the end wall of the frame. This feed screw bears against the outer face of the slide block 37 and the screw can be provided with a manipulating hand wheel 49. With the knurled feed wheel 4-1 urged into intimate biting contact with the inner face of the rim, the guide and supporting disc 42 will engage the upper edge of the rim 12. Thus, the rim is confined between the flange 23 and the disc or flange 42 with the sharpened cutter flange 22 in biting contact with the outer face of the rim.

With current supplied to the motor the feed wheel and cutter will be rotated and the feed wheel functions to feed the entire machine around the drum with the cutter biting into the rim to sever the head 11 from the rim.

The weight of the machine normally tends to swing the lower end of the motor toward the side of the drum and to urge the sharpened cutter flange 22 into its cutting contact with the rim. To hold the motor in desired spaced relation to the side wall of the drum D guide roll- These rollers 56 are rotatably carried by the outer ends of arms 51. These arms extend through the slot 34 into the end cap and base 33 of the motor and the inner ends of the arms are rockably mounted on a supporting pivot bolt 52. The arms are connected by a strong contractile coil spring 53 and the coil spring 53 functions to draw the arms 51 toward one another and the rollers 50 into riding contact with the side wall 10 of the drum. This permits the rollers 50 to follow the contour of the drum irrespective of any dents or other irregularities therein. It can be seen that the weight of the machine swinging toward the drum tends to spread the arms 51 away from one another against the tension of the spring 53. Outward swinging movement of the arms 51 is limited by right-angularly extending ribs 54- formed on or carried by the head and base 33. After the machine completes its circle around the drum, the feed screw 48 is turned back to permit the sliding block to move away from the cutter shaft 19 and the feed wheel 41 away from the cutter wheel 20. Thus, the machine can now be lifted off of the drum. As the flange of the drum head is severed the head can now be removed from the drum and if necessary, a desired tool can be used for this purpose.

When the machine is not in operation and is removed from a drum, the same can be set on the base 33 on a table, floor or the like.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that a novel steel drum opener has been provided which is of an exceptionally simple nature but which will be strong and durable in use.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but What is claimed as new is:

1. A power driven unit for cutting off the tops of steel drums and the like comprising a supporting frame, a vertically disposed electric motor secured to one side of the frame and depending therefnom, a rotatable cutter shaft carried by the frame and disposed in parallelism to the motor, a speed reducing mechanism operatively connecting the motor to the upper end of the cutter shaft, a cutter wheel on the lower end of the shaft for engaging the outer surface of the rim of the drum to be cut, a rotatable feed shaft pivotally carried by the frame, means for driving the feed shaft from the cutter shaft, a knurled feed wheel secured to the lower end of the feed shaft for engaging the inner face of the rim of the drum to be cut, means for moving the lower end of the feed shaft toward and away from the cutter shaft and the feed wheel toward and away from the cutter wheel, means carried by the lower end of the motor including guide rollers for engaging the sides of the drum, and a slide block rotatably supporting the lower end of the feed shaft slidably mounted in said frame, and said frame having wear ribs engaging the upper face of the slide block the transmitting pressures from the slide block to the frame.

2. A power driven unit for cutting off the tops of steel drums and the like comprising a supporting frame, a vertically disposed electric motor secured to one side of the frame and depending therefrom, a rotatable cutter shaft carried by the frame and disposed in parallelism to the motor, a speed reducing mechanism operatively connecting the motor to the upper end of the cutter shaft, a cutter wheel on the lower end of the shaft for engaging the outer surface of the rim of the drum to be cut, a rotatable feed shaft pivotally carried by the frame, means for driving the feed shaft from the cutter shaft, 21 knurled feed wheel secured to the lower end of the feed shaft for engaging the inner face of the rim of the drum to be cut, means for moving the lower end of the feed shaft toward and away from the cutter shaft and the feed wheel toward and away from the cutter wheel, means carried by the lower end of the motor including guide rollers for engaging the sides of the drum, and said last named means also including arms pivotally carried by the lower end of the motor and supporting said rollers, and spring means normally urging said arms toward one another with the rollers in engagement with the drum.

3. A power driven unit for cutting off the tops of steel drums and the like as defined in claim 2, and means for limiting the outward swinging movement of the arms.

4. A power driven unit for cutting off the tops of steel drums and the like comprising a supporting frame, a vertically disposed electric motor secured to the outer face of said frame and depending therefrom, a cutter shaft rotatably carried by the frame and disposed in parallelism to the motor, a cutter wheel carried by the lower end of the cutter shaft for engaging the outer face of the rim of a drum to be cut, a power reduction unit operatively connecting the motor to the upper end of the cutter shaft, a feed shaft rotatably carried by the frame and mounted for swinging movement toward and away from the cutter shaft, a knurled feed wheel carried by the lower end of the feed shaft for engaging the inner face of the rim to be cut, a slide block mounted in said frame rotatably supporting the lower end of the feed shaft, spring means normally urging the slide block and feed shaft away from the cutter shaft, manual means for moving the slide block and cutter shaft and the feed shaft with the feed Wheel toward the cutter shaft and the cutter wheel against the tension of said spring means, and an end cap and supporting base carried by the lower end of said motor, arms pivotally mounted by a common pivot on said base and extending outwardly therefrom toward the drum being cut, guide and supporting rollers carried by the outer ends of said arms, and a contractile coil spring connecting said arms and normally tending to move the arms toward one another with the guide rollers against the outer side of the drum during the cutting thereof.

5. A power driven unit for cutting off the tops of steel drums and the like comprising a supporting frame including spaced end walls and connecting side walls, a vertically disposed electric motor secured to one side wall and depending therefrom and said side wall having formed thereon bearing bosses, roller bearings carried by said bosses, a cutter shaft rotatably supported by the bearings, mews for driving the cutter shaft from the motor, a cutter wheel secured to the cutter shaft for engaging the outer face of a rim of a drum to be cut, a bearing pivot block carried by the frame for swinging movement, a slide block carried by the lower end of the frame, a feed shaft rotatably mounted in said blocks, guide ribs on the inner faces of the side Walls engaging the upper face of the slide block, a knurled feed wheel secured to the lower end of the feed shaft below the slide block for engaging the inner face of the rim of a drum to be cut, manual means for sliding the block in said frame toward the cutter shaft and for urging the feed wheel into intimate engagement with the inner face of the rim to be cut and the cutter wheel into intimate cutting engagement with the outer face of the rim, means operatively connecting the cutter shaft with the feed shaft for driving said shaft, and roller means for spacing the lower end of the motor from the side of the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,684,414 Rydquist Sept 18, 1928 1,935,680 Von Wolforsdorf Nov. 21, 1933 2,886,887 Krist et a1. May 19, 1959 3,006,070 Nordquist Oct. 31, 196 1 

1. A POWER DRIVEN UNIT FOR CUTTING OFF THE TOPS OF STEEL DRUMS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED ELECTRIC MOTOR SECURED TO ONE SIDE OF THE FRAME AND DEPENDING THEREFROM, A ROTATABLE CUTTER SHAFT CARRIED BY THE FRAME AND DISPOSED IN PARALLELISM TO THE MOTOR, A SPEED REDUCING MECHANISM OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE MOTOR TO THE UPPER END OF THE CUTTER SHAFT, A CUTTER WHEEL ON THE LOWER END OF THE SHAFT FOR ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE RIM OF THE DRUM TO BE CUT, A ROTATABLE FEED SHAFT PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY THE FRAME, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE FEED SHAFT FROM THE CUTTER SHAFT, A KNURLED FEED WHEEL SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF THE FEED SHAFT FOR ENGAGING THE INNER FACE OF THE RIM OF THE DRUM TO BE CUT, MEANS FOR MOVING THE LOWER END OF THE FEED SHAFT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE CUTTER SHAFT AND THE FEED WHEEL TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE CUTTER WHEEL, MEANS CARRIED 